Boehner Wants Short-Term Budget Deal to Maintain Spending Levels

By Michael C. Bender -
Aug 1, 2013

House Speaker John Boehner said
Congress will need to extend current federal spending levels for
a “short period of time” when the next fiscal year begins Oct.
1 because appropriations bills won’t be finished by then.

“A continuing resolution for a short period of time would
probably be in the nation’s interest,” Boehner, an Ohio
Republican, told reporters today at his weekly press conference
at the Capitol. Congress still must act on spending bills, he
said.

“The idea of operating for an entire year with a CR is not
a good way to do business,” he said. “It’s important for
Congress to do its work.”

House Republican leaders yesterday postponed a scheduled
vote on a $44 billion spending bill to finance the
Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments.
House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said it didn’t have the
votes to pass.

Today, Boehner dismissed Rogers’ concerns and said the
measure would have had enough votes. Leaders decided to cancel
the vote because there wasn’t time to address about 50 pending
amendments, the speaker said.

The Kentucky Republican said he was “extremely
disappointed” because the bill represented “the best possible
effort” to fund highway construction, rail systems and housing
projects “while also making the deep cuts necessary under the
current budget cap.”

‘Ill-Conceived’ Cuts

“The House has declined to proceed on the implementation
of the very budget it adopted just three months ago,” Rogers
said in the statement. “Thus, I believe that the House has made
its choice: sequestration -- and its unrealistic and ill-conceived discretionary spending cuts -- must be brought to an
end.”

Rogers also said it’s “clear that the higher funding
levels advocated by the Senate are also simply not achievable in
this Congress.”

Boehner said the bill will be brought back to the floor
when lawmakers return in September after a five-week break.

Boehner also said the federal spending cuts that began
March 1 will remain in place until President Barack Obama agrees
to other cuts to replace them.

“We have a spending problem. We have to deal with the
spending problem,” Boehner said.